Surprise Denial

I am a little ashamed to admit that some things in this life still take me by surprise when there is absolutely no reason to be shocked. For example, yesterday the low fuel light in my car came on and I was, naturally, flabbergasted. Had I not been watching the little white needle creep toward the ominous orange hash mark for the past week and a half? This morning I opened the dishwasher and was blown away to find the dishes in it were not sparkly clean, although I don't know why I was so surprised because since I didn't start it last night the laws of physics dictate that the dishes would remain besmirched with remnants of the evening meal. My car registration bill came in the mail yesterday and I acted like it doesn't come each and every year. All those mornings that I settled on a black shirt I staggered backward with shock when I got to work and noticed a deodorant smear on one side. What I should be saying on the non-deodorant day is "Hey? This is a black shirt isn't it? Where's the white streak of shame?" Why do I go on like this? I'm not sure except that maybe I'm in denial about my lack of automobile fuel and the state of my wardrobe.

Life doesn't only take me by repeated surprise in negative ways. Sometimes these pseudo-surprises are really pleasant. For the past three weeks I have driven down the street gaping like an idiot at the trees and saying to Paul "Look at that one! Look at those amazing colors!" The trees change colors every year and yet they still amaze me. Every time the phone rings and I see it is a good friend calling I feel a pleasant twinge of startlement, and every year when Christmas comes around I get excited like it might not come again next year. To everyone else out there in surprise-denial, here's to enjoying the unexpected, or at least indulging in the life-affirming shock of what we probably should have expected.